Yunnan Fishermen Start Fishing on Dianchi Lake

Dianchi Lake in Yunnan province opened for fishing activities on Oct 20. More than 3,000 fishermen in 820 boats from five counties sail on the lake in 820 boats to catch salangid and shrimp.

Fishermen departed at six in the morning after gathering at Jinning Shadi village’s wharf. The fishing was preceded by a small ceremony where firecrackers were set off and incense burnt. It is traditional to put out rice, meat and other items before sacrificing a chicken as a way to pray for safety and a good fishing harvest.

Eager to make his first catch of the season, Xu Xiang, from Anle village, went to the meeting place with his boat at 4 am. “I have brought two bottles of hot water with me for I may not come back until 6 pm and I will eat lunch on the boat,” said Xu, who in last year’s fishing season earned 20,000 yuan ($3,152.43) in a month through fishing. Xu hopes for even better results this year.